I tried a new breakfast side dish today… and it met with mixed reviews. The adults liked it, the kids… didn’t. I think it was more a texture thing in their case. We had it with bacon, eggs and applesauce (and tea, of course!) and it was a very filling meal!

Oats are one of the best grains for us – and they help reduce cholesterol.  The humble oat kept the Scottish people healthy & strong for centuries, as it was the only grain that would grow in northern Scotland, but they are not often thought of these days. Try these for a new way to enjoy this humble grain.  Adding some cinnamon & sugar or dried fruit makes them more like cookies!

2 cups rolled oats
6 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup flour (gluten free or rice flour works well too)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. hot water (with more set aside for later use)

OPTIONAL
2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice

Warm up your griddle on the stove to just above medium. I cooked the bacon on it before making the oatcakes, which greased it nicely for the first few.

Grind the oats into a gritty flour in a food processor. Combine the oats, flour and salt into a mixing bowl (and cinnamon & sugar if using), and using a pastry blender or your fingers, mix the butter into the flour mixture. I also added a tsp or so of bacon fat from the bacon I was cooking.

Add the hot water to the mixture to make a sticky dough – you may need to add a bit more than 2 Tbsp.

Using golf ball sized portions of dough, form flat cakes with your hands. Place them onto your warm, greased griddle and cook 3-5 minutes per side. You may have to re-grease your griddle with every batch. I used coconut oil, as it has a higher burn point than butter, but butter works well also.

The oatcakes should stay a little bit blonde, but the browned butter or bacon grease can add a nice flavor.

Serve warm with butter, honey, jam or applesauce. They are also good with cheese.

These could also make good biscuits for a fruit cobbler.

This makes a great bread for thick-cut toast with jam in the mornings, or try it open face with cream cheese and sliced cucumbers! Or, knead in some herbs for a delicious herbed or garlic bread – yum…

1-1/2 cups warm water (around 105-115 degrees – NOT above 120 degrees!)
1-3/4 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
4 cups unbleached white flour*
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/4 cup honey (warmed for easy pouring)

+/- 1/2 cup flour
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and add the flax seed. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast. Make sure the water is not too hot, or it will kill the yeast.

While the yeast is activating, prepare your rising bucket or bowl by pouring some olive oil in it & spreading it around the sides & bottom.

When the yeast is beginning to get foamy, add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine, and pour the dough out onto a lightly floured counter to knead. Knead until the flour on the counter is incorporated into the dough and the surface of the dough is slightly tacky.

Place the dough in the oiled rising bucket and place in a warm, draft-free area. Let it rise around 1.5 – 2 hours or until double it’s size. Do nit let it over rise.

Punch down the dough** & shape it into a loaf. Place it in a loaf pan that has been lightly buttered & slit the top a few times. Allow it to rise once again for 15-40 minutes – until double in size again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while the dough is rising.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. It should be browned & sound hollow when tapped on the bottom of the loaf. Cover it with a towel and let it rest on a cooling rack for at least an hour to finish baking internally.

*The loaf pictured was made with 3 cups unbleached white flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.

**If you want an herbed bread, knead the extra ingredients in at this time. Some ideas are minced garlic, oregano, basil, savory, thyme, rosemary, etc. This is also a good time to add in some grains, if desired. Sunflower seeds, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and oats are all good add-in’s.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, we thought we would bring you an easy and delicious recipe that the kids and dad can make!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
2/3 cups brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Roll dough into a rectangle shape and brush with the melted butter. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts then layer over dough.  Then starting with the long end, roll the dough up into a log.  Moisten edges with a little water to seal.

Cut the roll into 1-inch slices (you can make the slices wider if you want taller rolls).  Place rolls into lightly buttered cake pans and set aside at room temperature.  Allow to rise for approximately 1-1/2 hours (dough will have doubled).  Finally pour the heavy cream over rolls and bake at 350F for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine sugar, milk and vanilla and drizzle over rolls during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm, fresh from the oven, or bake them ahead of time and warm them up just in time to serve.  Enjoy!

These are the ultimate energy breakfast – and good for you too…
This is my mom’s recipe. She makes these at least once a month (it makes a pretty large batch) and they eat them for breakfast daily.

1 1/2 C Gluten/wheat free flour (or rice flour)
1/2 C Flax Seed Meal (you can incease the flax seed as needed, but, don’t over do it)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
(Sift well and set aside)

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup Molasses
1/2 cup sugar free preserves
1/2 cup egg beaters or egg
(WHIP UNTIL FLUFFY, about 4 minutes)

Cream butter and honey, and add preserves, molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients, and mix until just moist.

Add 1 Cup of each – enough to fill your mixing bowl 3/4 of the way:
Dried Cherries, Craisens, golden raisins, sunflour seeds, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pinion nuts, sunflower seeds, shredded carrots, shreadded apples, bananas, berries, etc.,dried fruit-bananas, raisins, mango, mixed berries, tropical fruits, etc trail mix, white/dark chocolate chip swirls, carmel/chocolate, milk/white etc. I use what ever I have on hand and will fit in the bowl. Each batch is an original.

The dough should still be gooey.

Add 2-6 Cups of Rolled oats. I try to put 6 cups in it makes them healthier and they go a lot farther. The dough at this point is getting real stiff, try not to overmix. Use a bread hook if you need to. Don’t use whip or whisk it will break them. The dough should be near the consistency of bread dough.

Put dough into an airtight container and chill over night. Allowing the dough to rest will make a more tender cake.

Measure out 1/4 C scoops and form into patties about 1/2 inch thich or put in muffin cups. Bake for 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees. I bake mine, in muffin cups, for about 20 min at our altitude or until starting to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack or store in tupperware storage.

These cookies or muffins (depending on how you made them) can be frozen for up to 6 months.

These cookies are very easy – easier than the length of the recipe makes it look. These are great any time of the year, but Fall seems to make them seem almost a necessity! I make them a little on the big side & add lots of chopped dried fruit and nuts – then they are a scone-like breakfast cookie…

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 large can pumpkin pie filling
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit*
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly
Drop large dough balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

*Our favorite fruits to use are chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries.

Ah, yes, I am talking about moist & delicious scones – not hard rocks. These are fluffy, moist, sweet & *almost* vegan. I have adapted the recipe from one I was given many years ago and I have almost got it to a vegan point… I just haven’t found a worthy replacement for the butter.

You want to try these at home!

2 cups unbleached white (bread) flour
1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsalted butter – chillled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup coconut cream
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. egg replacer & 3 Tbsp. water
- or -
1 egg

optional:
1/2 cup currants or dried fruit of your choice
- or -
1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Prepare a baking sheet (I use a Silicone Wonder Mat, but you can lightly butter it)

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Distribute the butter cubes over the mixture. Using a pastry blender or two knived scissors fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a seperate container, combine the cream, vanilla and egg or egg replacer. Mix them thoroughly and pour them into the flour mixture. Stir them until just combined. Stir in the fruit, if desired.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and – with floured hands – pat the dough into a round or rectangular shape about 3/4″ thick. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH. Using a pastry cutter of butter knife, cut the dough into triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reomve from the oven & allow to cool for 5 minutes – yes, you can wait that long even though your mouth is watering!

Serve them with assorted jams & preserves, lemon curd, whipped cream, butter, honey… whatever your topping of choice, or eat them as they are. I also recommend coffee, tea or cocoa. They can be kept for up to 3 days in the microwave or an air-tight container (if they last that long!)

**
Problems:
“My scones came out flat & hard, what did I do wrong?”
You worked the dough too much. Stir them until the dough is just or almost combined & work it just long enough to finish combining it & shape it. Do not knead the dough, as it will cause it to flatten & get hard.

“Many of the scones I have seen are shiny, why aren’t these?”
If you want them shiny, brush them with an egg glaze made of 1 egg and either 1 tsp. water or milk.

“I used blueberries and my scones are all purple”
If you are using frozen berries, make sure that you don’t mix the dough very long. The more you mix it, the more juice wil be released.
For fresh berries, toss them lightly in flour before adding them, and don’t mix them much.

“Where do you find coconut cream? Will coconnut milk work?”
I get coconut cream at an Asian market. Safeway stores have a pretty good Asian section, and may have the cream. Or look online. IF you can’t find the cream, coconut milk should work – just don’t go for the lowfat stuff as it is too watery.

“Can I use whipping cream instead of coconut cream?”
Yes. That is the original recipe. Many people are afraid of the coconut taste, but it is very mild and very tasty! It adds a touch of sweetness that is unique.

“What about the sugar – what is evaporated cane sugar?”
Evaporated cane sugar is just that – what is left from sugar cane juice when the liquid evaporates. It is a natural sugar that has not beed refined to take averything good out of it. Yes, you can use regular bleached white sugar, this is just better for you.

“What is the egg replacer? Where do I find that?”
The egg replacer that I use is from Bob’s Red Mill. There are other brands (I think Ener-G is another one) It is a powder that is mixed with water to replace eggs as a binding agent. For those looking for a vegan meal, it helps bind things instead of eggs. If you don’t have it & aren’t avoiding eggs, use an egg.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Ω teaspoon salt
1 æ cups milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Powder sugar for dusting
3 inch metal heart shaped cookie cutters

Instructions:

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. In a separate bowl combine the milk, eggs, oil and brown sugar and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (do not over mix)

Heat the griddle or skillet over low to medium heat. Brush the heart-shaped cookie cutters with a little oil and place in griddle. Pour º cup batter into cookie cutters and cook until pancake starts to bubble. Remove the cookie cutters then turn and cook for another minute on the other side or until slightly golden

Sprinkle with dusting sugar and serve.

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs

4 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1 large can pumpkin pie filling
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit*

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream the butter & sugar, and add the eggs.
Combine all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly into the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin fillling, spices, fruits and nuts.
Drop large dough balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

*Our favorite fruits to use are chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries. If you make large cookies, they are very good as a breakfast cookie – they are almost pumpkin scones! Adding more pumpkin will moisten the cookies – I usually use the medium-sized can of pumpkin pie filling, but the new huge one will work too – or make a couple of batches!

For you “true bakers” out there… here are the “proper” directions…

cream butter & sugar.  Add egg.  In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients and, with the mixer on low, slowly add to the butter/egg mixture, alternating with the pumpkin filling.  Stir until just combined.  Gently mix in the dried fruits and nuts.  Bake.

I have done it both ways, and while I usually cream the butter first, everything else just goes into the mixing bowl as my hand reaches it!

We have also used fresh pumpkin, and if you have it on hand, it is wonderful!  But it is not a necessity… the canned stuff tastes great too!

Based on a German Apple Pancake recipe, it is the perfect dish for brunch or for any special occasion. If you have an apple slicer/peeler/corer. by all means use it for this dish! We often freeze a bushel of sliced apples in the fall to use all year long for this and other recipes.
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Preheat oven to 400°F. In a 9×12 baking dish randomly place 4 Tbsp butter. Put the dish in the oven until the butter is melted.

Filling

3 apples – peeled & thinly sliced or chopped

1/3 cup white sugar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

3 tsp. apple pie spice OR cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Batter:

5 eggs – at room temperature*

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup milk – at room temperature

½ tsp. salt

1½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until frothy, then let stand until pan is ready

When the butter is melted, run the blender again to make the batter frothy. Remove the pan from the oven and quickly add the filling and batter. Bake at 400°F for 45-60 minutes, or until browned. The pancake will puff up and create its own caramel sauce. Serve hot out of the oven. Enjoy!

*To quickly get eggs to room temp, put them in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.